Centrifugal-pressure casting apparatus



G. M. HOLLENBACK.

CENTRIFUSAL PRESSURE CASTING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED IULY Il. I9I8.

1,3 10,865. Patented July 22, 1919.

. I l :rl- A l II t' Ilmm/ Uur-run sTArns PATENT onirica.

GEORGE M. HOLLENBACK, 0F LEWISTOWN, MONTANA.

CENTRIFUGAL-PRESSURE CASTING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters llatent.

Patented July 22, Y1919.

Application led July-11, 1918. Serial No. 244,468.

f .i elements in which accuracy of conformation and even distribution of the structural mass is. highly important. The invention has for its object the provision of improved apparatus of the general character stated which will be superior in point of inexpensiveness and efficiency, taken in conjunction with simplicity, positiveness and effectiveness of operation, facility in control, compaetness in form, convenience in adjustment of parts and members to compensate for variations in working conditions, duration or maintenance of operation predicated upon a given amount of motive power, and reliability and accuracy in performance, and which will be generally superior in serviceability and adaptability to varying conditions of service.

AVVit-h the above and other objects in view. the invention consists in the useful and novel provision. formation. construction` combination.V inter-relation. association and mode of operation, as well as adjustment and control of parts, members and features. all as hereinafter described. shown in the drawing. and finally pointed out in claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a central vertical sectional view ofimproved apparatus embodying and exeniplifying the invention, parts being in elevation;

Fig. 2 is a horizontaldctail fragmentary transverse sectional view taken upon the line Z-z, Fig. 1. and looking in the direction of the appended arrows;

Fig. 3 is a detail transverse sectional view taken upon the line m3 in l in the direction of the appended arrows;

Pig. 4 `is a side elevation ofl a criieible entering into the `organization shown in Fig. 1, the same being in detached position and upon an enlarged scale;

w3, Fig. 1, and look- Fig. 5 is a detail transverse sectional view, taken in a plane at an angle of 90 degrees to that of Fig. 1, and upon the line aas-m5, Fig. 1, parts being left'in elevation; and,

Fig. 6 is a side elevation ofthe Crucible shown in Fig. 5.

The nether portion of the crucible in Figs.

4 and 6 is broken away slightly for convenienee in illustration.

Corresponding parts in all the figures are designated by the saine reference characters.

Referring with particularity to the drawing, A designates a criicible with which is adapted to be associated a flask B containing a mold b formed in an investment of initially plastic material, or the like, c, and

Aadapted to be held to an opening 6 in one end of the criicible, by an annular fla-nge 7 upon the wall of the Crucible at that end, and within which fiange one cylindrical end of the flask fits. C designates means, in accordance with the invention, for holding the flask to the Crucible, in proper aliiieinent, and in the relation last stated, such flask and crueible being jointly mounted for rotation upon'an arm 8 to which is opposed and alined a counter-balance arm 9, having a shif'table counter-balance 10, said arms 8 and 9 being joined together by a ring 11 which is applied exteriorly to a rotatable sleeve 12 having an adjustably threaded point bearing 13. applied rotatably to an upright post14. The ring 11 is adjiistably applied to the sleeve 19.. and held thereto. for rotation therewith, by a set screw or tlninib screw 15. The upright post 14 is mounted vertically in a base 16. which is vertically chambered or bored. as at 17 to aecommodate such post, the latter being firmly held in position at 'its lower ends by a nut 18 applied to threads thereon and received and Aaccommodated within a bottom chamber 19 in the base 16. Above the chamber 19 is provided a top chamber Q() in the base 16. and within the same is disposed a free hub or anniiliis Q1, surrounding the post 14. and surrounding sin-li annuliis 21 is a coil spring, such as a clock spring. 2Q. comprising ii'ieanr. for supplying energy for the rotation of the sleeve 12 and its connected arms 8 and 9. The spring22 is fast at one end, as at' 23,' to the hub 21, and at the other end, as at 24, to the base 16. The sleeve 12 is provided with a broad base lflange 12a. which overlies the chamber 20, and carries a dog 25 beneath such flange, as at 25a. there being secured at .sleeve 12 may be resultant rotation. under the urgence of the energy one end at such latter pivotal point a leaf spring26 the free end of which bears upon the outer end of the dog 25 urgin vthe same into engagement with a notch 27 1n the hub` 21, to operatively connect such Hangs 12 and such hub 2l so -that the s ring 22, by `rotation of the sleeve 12, may e nt under compression and its energy store or such y rotated by the energy of the spring so stored. The pressure of the spring 26 is such, and 1s so rellated to the centrifugal tendencyof the dog 25, that after the; rotatable carriage*ineluding the arms 8 and' 9 andl sleeve,12 have-been brought up to their maximum speedof rotai-g,

tion, in the manner hereinafter described,

under the power of the spring 22, 'such dog will be freed from the notch 27 and centrifugally held entirely away from the hub 21, until the carriage slows down toward the end of its rotation, and in this manner frictional drag of the dog upon the hub is substantially eliminated. D' designates locking .and releasing means furthe sleeve 12 and its flange 12, the same preferably compr1s' lingr a cam head 28 pivoted to the base 16, as

at 29, and having a preferably serrated periphery 30 adapted to impinge upon the periphery of the ange 12", the material of such cam head 28 being preferably harder than the material of such flange, so as to cause an efficient binding engagement for the purpose of locking the flange and the sleeve 12 against rotation. The cam head 28 is provided with a lever ar-m 31, at the other` side of the fulcrum 29 whereby Such cam head may be manipulated, either to lock the with a lateral opening 33 at one side. One' end. 33h. is partially closed, but provided with the opening 6, heretofore mentioned.\

and it is adapted to communicate with the open end of the {ia-sk B, so that the fused metal may bc centrifugally driven from the .crucible through such opening 6 into the niold 7) in the investment c in the flask. Within the casing 33, and resting upon the base thereof, is a carbon block 34, provided with a top recess 35, and u on which is disposed the metall-ic mass to e fused and directed ccntrifugally to the mold in the flask. Within the casing 33, and at the closed side and closed .bottom thereof and arching somewhat over the central portion of the interior of the easing and extending to the top ofthe casing is a heat-insulatingmedium or member 36, such as asbestos, mineral wool or magnabestos or other composition. The carbon block 34 is disposed within the zone of the lower portion of this heat insulating material. The casing 33 is provided with a downward extension 33C' which Iis bored to receive the arm 8, so that the crucible A and its adjunct the flask B may be adjusted lengthwise of such arm 8, and heldin position of'adjustment by a thumb screw 37.

The means C for holding the flask to the crucible,in addition to the fiange 7 upon the flask,r comprise a disk or head 38 which is eadapted to abut against the closed outer end 'if the flask, such disk or head being mounted at one edge or side upon a rod 39 which passesr adjustably through a perforated lug 40 formed or provided at the closed side of the dasting, there being a thumb screw 41 threaded in the lug 40, and adapted to impinge upon such rod 39 to hold itin position of its adjustment jointly with the disk 38.

Any suitable means may be employed for l supplying heat within the crueible casing to fuse the metal mass therein, prior to its centrifugal ejection to the mold I). To that end I have disclosedin the drawing electrical means comprising an .electrical path including circuit wires c and f controlled as to energization by a switch' g, such path likewise including the base 16 and the metall-ic members mounted therein and thereupon, likewise including the arm 8 and the metallic casing 33 of the Crucible, electrical resistance being included Within such path. A. metallic terminal' h is connected with one end of the circuit wire f, and may be brought into electrical contact with the carbon block 34 to complete a circuit and transform the electrical energy into heat for raising the temperature ofl such block and the mass to be fused. It will be understood of course, that a blow-pipe or any other means of producing intense heat or supporting .intense combustion, may be utilized, and its heat units introduced within the casing of the crucible .at the open side 33a thereof,. the heat insulating .medium 36 preventing dissipation of such heat units and their concentration upon the metal to be fused.

The operation, method of' use and advantages of the improvements under treatment will be readily understood from] the foregoing description` taken in connection with the accompanying drawing and' the following statement:

The flask B is connected with thc crucible A by thelange 7 and the holding means C, and both of such elements A and B, together with the mass of metal to be fused in the Crucible, are properly adjusted u on the arm 8, in conjunction with a suita lc adjustment of the counterpoise 10, so that a proper balanced condition of the rotatingv elements is produced, both with respect to centrifugal and gyrostatic iniiuences. This is of high importance, and is preminently provided for in accordance with theJpresent invention, so that a minimum of frictional loss will accompany the rotation ofv they parts, and conservation of a maximum of the energy of the spring 22 will result. Us-

ing the counterpoise 10 as a ycrank,the arm 9 will cause the rotating parts to be set into motion and the dog .25 will cause the-hub 21 to rotate, the rotation beingv produced contra-clockwise. Thus the spring 22 will be put under compression and its energy stored for use in rotating the parts in a clockwise direction when desired. After the spring has been so compressed the locking and releasing means D is rendered effective by bringing the cam head 28 Ainto impingement with the-ange 12, as shown in the drawing, andk the rotating parts remain at rest until such cam head is voluntarily operated to release the rotating parts. Prior to such 25 release, the metallic -mass in the crucible is subjected to intenseheat, either bythe electrical devices shown in the drawing, or by,

a'blow-,pipe or other medium or agency, and during such heating treatment the flask with its mold are insulated from the crucible, which 'may be done by introducing a sheet of asbestos or like' material across the opening 6 in one. end of the. crucible. When the metal has been fused in the crucible, such sheet shown at 6*, is removed, it having effectively insulated the investment withln which the `mold isformed and thus prevented any impairment of the mold by heat action. Thereupon the cam head 28 is with- Y40l drawn from the flange 12", and the spring 22 sets the rotating parts in motion clock-v wise, in perfect balanced condition, and

Supportedby the point bearing 13, a pronounced centrifugal effect bein vproduced upon the` fused metal inthe cruci le, and the "same being'thus ejected from the crucible',

' -6`0 The insulating medium 36v eectively'co'nfines the heat to the"working. zone in which the metal is disposed, and prevents dissipation of heat therefrom.

In accordance with the present mventlo'n I am enabled to VproduceA a perfect casting `means for subjecting the cruci in a mold Aunimpaired rby any reliminary' exposure to intense heat, and t e resultant casting,jwhether it .be'for purposes of dentistry or jewelry or others ofthe fine arts, 'will in all respectsbe accurate and perfect 70 and perfectly match and fit the tooth," mounting or other art'or device or element with which it 'Is to be associated.

It is manifest that many changes, and variations, with respect to the specific disclosure of the drawing and of the fore oing` description andl statement, may be ma e, in practising the invention,"and in adapting the invention to varying conditions of use and service,all without departin from the true` spirit-of the invention, an `a proper and fair interpretation thereof.

Having thus disclosed my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patentr- 1. Improvements of the character-'dis- 85 closed, comprising a crucible, a mold applied to the crucible, means for fusing metalin the crucible, removable means separating the mold from the crucible during such fus- A ing process, and means lforsubjecting the- 9o crucible and` moldl to centrifugal action..

2. Improvements of tha-character disclosedcomprising a crucible, a mold applied to the crucible, means 'forfusing metal inA the crucible, a removable gatemember separating the mold from the crucible during such fusing process, and means for subjecting the crucible and mold to centrifugal action.

Improvements of the. character disclosed, comprising a crucible, a mold applied to and carried by the .crucible,'means for fusing metal in fthe crucible, a removable gate' member slidably inserted between the mold and crucible during such fusin process, and

le and mold,

to centrifugal action. y i

4. In improvements of the character disclosed, a crucible comprising a casing having an opening at one end thereof, a flask for a casting'mold fitted against the said v end ofthe crucible casing, positioningl means upon theA crucible casing for engagingthe inner end of the flask, a slide adjustably .mounted upon the crucible casing, and 115 clampin means carried by the slide for engaging t e outer end of the ask.

5. In improvements of the charactendisclosed, a vcrucible comprisin'ga casing having an opening in one end thereof,-a posi- `V tioning fiange surrounding the opening, a.- fiask for a casting' mold having the innerv end thereof detachably engaged by the flange, a slide adjustably mounted upon the crucible casing, and avclampin'g head pro- 125 'jecting laterally from the slide and engaging the rearend of the fiask to hold it in position. f

' 6.` 'In improvements of the character disclosed, a crucible comprising a casing having an opening at one end surrounded by a flange, a iask for a casting mold adapted to be fitted Within said flange and against said end of -said casing, and means further for holding the flask to the casing and adjustably mounted in connection with the casing.

7. In improvements ofthe character `disclosed, a Crucible comprising a casing having van opening at one end surrounded by a flange, a flask for a casting mold adapted to be fitted Within said flange and against said I .end of said casing, and means further for holding the flask to the casing and adjustably mounted in connection with the casing; 'i

said'last named means comprising a part adapted to abut against the outer cud of the flask, a lpg `upon the casing, and a rod upon which sald part is mounted and which is adjustable 'through an opening in said 20 GEORGE M. HOLLEN'BACK.

v Viyitnesses: l

RAYMOND IvEs BLAKESLEE, MILDRED LEACH. 

